U.S. patent application number 12/473472 was filed with the patent office on 2010-11-11 for foldable travelling case.
This patent application is currently assigned to TWINKLE LEATHERWARE COMPANY LIMITED. Invention is credited to Wei-Ming Huang, Tzu-Wei TSENG.
Application Number | 20100282556 12/473472 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43061702 |
Filed Date | 2010-11-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100282556 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
TSENG; Tzu-Wei ; et
al. |
November 11, 2010 |
FOLDABLE TRAVELLING CASE
Abstract
A foldable travelling case includes a case body and two support
plates. The case body has a bottom base and a top base with two
opposite first side walls and two opposite second walls. The first
and second side walls are connected with a periphery of the bottom
base to respectively define a fold line with the bottom base. The
support plates each have a bottom side pivotally connected with one
of the first side walls such that each support plate is leanable
against one of the first side walls so as to support the first side
walls at an extended position. When the support plates are
pivotally moved away from the first side walls, the first and
second side walls can be folded along the fold lines and rested on
the bottom base to reduce the volume of the travelling case.
Inventors: |
TSENG; Tzu-Wei; (Taichung
city, TW) ; Huang; Wei-Ming; (Hong Kong, HK) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BROWDY AND NEIMARK, P.L.L.C.;624 NINTH STREET, NW
SUITE 300
WASHINGTON
DC
20001-5303
US
|
Assignee: |
TWINKLE LEATHERWARE COMPANY
LIMITED
Hong Kong
CN
|
Family ID: |
43061702 |
Appl. No.: |
12/473472 |
Filed: |
May 28, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
190/107 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45C 7/0077
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
190/107 |
International
Class: |
A45C 7/00 20060101
A45C007/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 5, 2009 |
TW |
98203363 |
Claims
1. A foldable travelling case comprising: a case body having a
bottom base and a top base having two opposite first side walls and
two opposite second walls, the first side walls and the second side
walls being connected with a periphery of the bottom base to
respectively define a fold line with the bottom base such that the
first side walls and the second side walls are foldable along the
fold lines; and two support plates each having a bottom side
pivotally connected with one of the first side walls of the top
base such that each of the two support plates is leanable against
one of the first side walls of the top base for supporting the
first side walls.
2. The foldable travelling case as claimed in claim 1, further
comprising a cover having a top side connected with one of the
first side walls of the top base, and an adhesive portion
detachably connectable to an adhesive portion of one of the support
plates.
3. The foldable travelling case as claimed in claim 1, further
comprising four reinforced plates each connected with one of two
opposite ends of one of the support plates, and detachably
connectable to one of the second side walls.
4. The foldable travelling case as claimed in claim 3, wherein the
reinforced plates are respectively attached to the second side
walls through a hook and loop fastener.
5. The foldable travelling case as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
top base includes a bottom wall having a periphery connected with
the first and second side walls and connected to the support plates
through a hook and loop fastener.
6. The foldable travelling case as claimed in claim 1, wherein each
of the support plates is attached to one of the first side walls
through a hook and loop fastener.
7. The foldable travelling case as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
case body includes a lid capped on the top base and connectable to
the top base through a zipper; the foldable travelling case further
comprising a strap for binding the lid and the bottom base.
8. The travelling case as claimed in claim 7, wherein the strap
extends from two wing portions of the lid.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a travelling
case, and more specifically to a travelling case that is foldable
to save its storage space.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] In order to enjoy high quality in tourism, travelers usually
prepare enough travel items for contingent use, and thus a
travelling case can be used to store the travel items for enhancing
the convenience of the travelers.
[0005] As far as the travelers are concerned, the travelling case
must provide enough storage space to store a large number of the
travel items, and the larger capacity the travelling case provides,
the greater volume the travelling case has. However, the travelling
case generally has a fixed volume because it usually includes an
inflexible housing such that the travelling case having a great
volume will occupy large space when it is in storage. Therefore, it
is a need to provide an improved travelling case.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention has been accomplished in view of the
above-noted circumstances. It is one objective of the present
invention to provide a travelling case that is foldable to occupy
less space when it is in storage.
[0007] To achieve this objective of the present invention, the
travelling case comprises a case body and two support plates. The
case body includes a bottom base and a top base having two opposite
first side walls and two opposite second walls. The first side
walls and the second side walls are connected with a periphery of
the bottom base to respectively define a fold line with the bottom
base such that the first side walls and the second side walls can
be foldable along the fold lines and rested at a folded position.
The support plates each have a bottom side pivotally connected with
one of the first side walls of the top base such that each support
plate is leanable against one of the first side walls of the top
base for supporting the first side walls at an extended
position.
[0008] As long as the support plates are folded, the first and
second side walls can be folded along the fold lines and rested on
the bottom base to reduce the volume of the travelling case of the
present invention, thereby allowing the travelling case to occupy
less space.
[0009] Further scope of applicability of the present invention will
become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter.
However, it should be understood that the detailed description and
specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the
invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various
changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the
invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from
this detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The present invention will become more fully understood from
the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying
drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are
not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a travelling case according
to a first preferred embodiment of the prevent invention, showing
that the first and second side walls of the top base stand at an
extended position;
[0012] FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the travelling case
according to the first preferred embodiment of the prevent
invention, showing the first adhesive portions of the support
plates are unstuck from the second adhesive portions of the
cover;
[0013] FIG. 3 is still another perspective view of the travelling
case according to the first preferred embodiment of the prevent
invention, showing the first and second side walls of the top base
are folded and rested at a folded position;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the travelling case
according to a second preferred embodiment of the prevent
invention, showing the support plates and the first side walls of
the top base are attached to each other through the hook and loop
fastener, and
[0015] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the travelling case
according to a third preferred embodiment of the prevent invention,
showing the lid and the bottom base of the case body are bound
together.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] As shown in FIGS. 1-2, a travelling case 10 in accordance
with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention
comprises a case body 20, two support plates 30, two covers 40, and
four reinforced plates 50.
[0017] The case body 20 includes a bottom base 22, a top base 24,
and a lid 26. The bottom base 22 can be placed on the ground, and
equipped with a pull rod assembly 221 therein. The top base 24 has
two opposite first side walls 242, two second side walls 244, and a
bottom wall 246. The first side walls 242 and the second side walls
244 are connected with a periphery of the bottom base 22 to
respectively define a fold line 25 such that the first side walls
242 and the second side walls 244 can be folded relative to the
bottom base 22 along the fold lines 25. The bottom wall 246 has a
periphery connected with the first side walls 242 and the second
side walls 244 to define a space 60 for accommodation of items. The
lid 26 includes a connection portion 264 and a top plate 262. The
connection portion 264 has two opposite sides respectively
connected with one of the first side walls 242 of the top base 20
and the top plate 262 for allowing the top plate 262 to be capped
on the top base 24 and fastened to the top base 24 through a zipper
266.
[0018] The support plates 30 each have a bottom side connected with
a bottom side of one of the first side walls 242 by sewing or a
hook and loop fastener 52 so as to be pivotable between one of the
first side walls 242 and the bottom wall 246, and three first
adhesive portions 31 at a front side thereof, as shown in FIG. 2.
In this embodiment, the first adhesive portion 31 is embodied as a
hook fastener.
[0019] The covers 40 each have a top side connected with a top side
of one of the first side walls 244 of the top base 24 such that the
support plates 30 can be exposed when the covers 40 are lifted, and
three second adhesive portions 42 at a back side thereof, as shown
in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the second adhesive portion 42 is
embodied as a loop fastener for attachment of one of the first
adhesive portions 32 of one of the support plates 30. Further, the
cover 40 is provided with an internal chamber (not shown) and
equipped with a zipper 44 to open or close the internal chamber
such that the cover 40 functions as a bag for accommodation of
items.
[0020] The reinforced plates 50 are respectively connected with one
of two opposite ends of one of the support plates 30 and attached
to the second side walls 244 through a hook and loop fastener 72
for strengthening the structural strength of the support plates 30.
To deserve to be mentioned, the reinforced plates 50 and the second
side walls 244 can be connected with each others through a buckle
or a zipper in lieu of the hook and loop fastener 72.
[0021] To fold the travelling case 10 when it is not in use, a user
can lift the covers 40 to force the second adhesive portions 42 of
the covers 40 to be unstuck from the first adhesive portions 32 of
the support plates 30, as shown in FIG. 2, and then pull the
reinforced plates 50 to allow the separation of the reinforced
plates 50 from the second side walls 244. Thereafter, the support
plates 30 can be pivotally folded by the user and laid on the
bottom wall 246, and then the first and second side walls 242 and
244 can be folded toward the bottom base 22 along the fold lines 25
and rested on the bottom base 22 at a folded position, as shown in
FIG. 3. Finally, the user can put the lid 26 over the first and
second side walls 242 and 244 to complete the folding work of the
travelling case 10 of the present invention.
[0022] To extend the travelling case 10, the user can lift the lid
26 to extend the first and second side walls 242 and 244 of the top
base 24, and then lift the support plates 30 to lean against the
first side walls 242 and attach the reinforced plates 50 to the
second side walls 244 so as to support the first side wall 242 and
the second side walls 244 at an extended position. Thereafter, the
user can attach the second adhesive portions 42 of the covers 40 to
the first adhesive portions 32 of the support plates 30 by lowering
the covers 40. Accordingly, the first side walls 242 of the top
base 24 are supported by the support plates 30 such that the user
can put travel items in the space 60 or the chamber of the covers
40. After packing, the user can zip up the zipper 266 to close the
space 60.
[0023] By means of the aforesaid design, the travelling case of the
present invention can be reduced its volume when it is in storage
through the foldable first and second side walls of the top base
and the support plates.
[0024] FIG. 4 shows a travelling case 80 according to a second
preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment,
the covers and the reinforced plates are eliminated according the
actual needs, and the support plates 82 and the first side walls 84
can be respectively attached to each others through a hook and loop
fastener 86.
[0025] FIG. 5 shows a travelling case 90 according to a third
preferred embodiment of the present invention, further comprising a
strap 91 extending from two wing portions 92 of the lid 93 for
binding the lid 93 and the bottom base 94 of the case body 95
together when the first and second side walls of the top base are
folded.
[0026] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that
the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be
regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention,
and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in
the art are intended to be included within the scope of the
following claims.
* * * * *